Witch Trials
by SilentRanger64
Summary: A Left 4 Dead fanfiction about a survivor with merely partial immunity to the infection.
1. Ch1 - Beginnings

Chapter 1

"Beginnings"

Tanya slowly opened her eyes and looked around. There were people shuffling around her and making strange, inhuman noises. She then went rigid with fear as she remembered what happened.

 **Two Hours Earlier:**

Tanya was standing in the subway train, looking at her phone. _I wonder how the folks at home are doing. I bet they are having dinner right about now. I wonder if they miss me._ Her thoughts were interrupted as there was a loud screech and she was flung forwards from a sudden halt in momentum. A boy around the age of sixteen caught her, but they both hit the floor of the subway car anyways.

"Ow. What was that?" The boy said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Hell if I know. I hope everything's okay." Tanya responded as she looked around.

A number of people were looking around and whispering to each other. Some were picking themselves up off the floor.

"Mind getting off me? You're kinda heavy." The boy asked, blushing a bit.

"I am not!" Tanya responded, taken aback. She then got up and dusted herself off. "Geez. What's next? You going to ask my age and social?"

"Sorry." The boy got up. "I'm Jason."

"Tanya." She looked at him and noticed that Jason wore a business suit and carried a briefcase. He's dressed older than he looks. I wonder what he does.

"By the way, what is someone your age doing on the subway?"

"Eh?! What's that supposed to mean?! For your information, I'm seventeen."

"Bullshit. There's no way you're older than me."

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"What's a sixteen-year-old doing wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase?"

"Nosy much?"

"What? I was just asking."

"Right. Shouldn't your first concern be what is going on with the train, not some stranger?"

Tanya remained quiet, not having a response.

"I'm going to see what's going on." Jason headed into the next subway car.

Tanya sighed and checked her watch. _Oh man. This is gonna suck. I'm gonna be late again. Only, it won't be my fault this time. Bah! Who am I kidding? I would have been late regardless._ She looked around at the worried looks of the people around her. _I really hope things aren't too serious._ She then caught something out the corner of her eye over by the window. As she peered out, a look a pure shock etched itself on her face. People were sprinting passed the train, but it was off. They weren't running like normal people. They looked like animals going berserk. A hand smashed through the window and grabbed Tanya, causing her to scream. Several passengers ran over and pulled her away. The hand flailed around in the window as there was yelling and snarling from the assailant. _What's going on?!_

Jason slammed open the door on the subway car. "There's an attack on the train!"

People tried to remain composed, but some began to panic. One man ran to the closest door and tried to pry it open. "I'm getting the Hell out of here!"

Jason grabbed the man and pulled him away. "Not that way, fool! That's where the attackers are!"

The man broke free and ran to the next car heading towards the back of the train. Some followed him. Tanya went to follow, but Jason pulled her back. "Come with me. I have a better plan." Tanya hesitated, but nodded. Jason took Tanya's hand and lead her to the front of the train.

Tanya looked around. "Where are we going?"

Jason pointed to a hatch leading to the roof of the subway train. "Up there." He climbed up the ladder and pushed the hatch up as it opened with a clang. He helped Tanya up onto the train car. He then pointed to an stairwell that seemed clear. "That's where we want to go."

Tanya nodded. "Right. Let's go."

"Hold up." Jason pointed to the base of the train.

Tanya looked over the edge and saw dozens of people shouting and clawing at the edge of the train, trying to climb up. "Gah! Wha-What do we do?!"

"Simple."

"Huh?" Tanya turned around and looked at Jason, just before he shoved her off the train. She landed in the group of people, who all started attacking her. She screamed in pain as nails dragged on her skin and a cluster and legs and fists barraged her. She saw Jason running up the stairs, grinning. She soon lost consciousness.

 **Present Time:**

Tanya glanced around in fear as her body trembled. The people shuffling around her were so close, they might step on her. However, they didn't seem to be attacking her anymore. She slowly got up and looked around. Those around her didn't seem to pay her any mind. _Are these really the same people that attacked me?_ She looked at her hands and her eyes grew wide in horror. Her fingers were grown into twelve-inch claws. _What... What happened?! N-No!_ She quickly ran up the stair that Jason had ran up and screamed as the light hit her eyes. She stumbled backwards and crashed down the stairs. "Ngh..." Tears ran down her face as she began to cry.


	2. Ch2 - Leaving the Subway

Chapter 2

"Leaving the Subway"

Three days passed as Tanya spent it crying and running away from survivors. She felt hideous and ugly because of what she was; what she had become. She was what they called a Witch. She didn't know where the label came from, or how it came along, but she hated it. She hated it because it stuck. She started seeing herself as nothing more than this "Witch" thing that the survivors feared so much. That wasn't the only thing she hated.

 **Flashback:**

"Gah!" Tanya screamed as she was pushed off of the stopped subway train and into the crowd of infected. She watched as Jason ran up the steps of the exit with a grin on his face.

 **Present Time:**

Tanya flinched, hugging her knees a bit tighter. _I'll kill him. If he's still alive, I'll kill him, whether he's infected or not._ She then heard people coming and got up. _Crap. Survivors._ She quickly jumped onto the tracks and wedged herself under the lip. She then closed her eyes and listened.

There was a male voice. It sounded older and more orderly. He spoke in a whisper, but Tanya's hightened senses were still able to pick up what was being said. "Let's keep our head down in this place."

There was a female voice; younger. She too spoke in but a whisper. "It's too quiet down here."

A gruff sounding male spoke, a little louder than the rest. "I hate subways."

The older male voice spoke again. "You hate everything, Francis."

There was an irritable grumble.

A more jumpy sounding male voice spoke. "Be quiet, you guys. Something might hear us."

Tanya waited for the group to pass before letting out a sigh of relief. She shimmied herself out from under the lip and got to her feet. She looked over towards where the group was headed. She looked back at the stairs. There was no sunlight coming down into the subway station. _Should I try going outside again?_ She hesitated and gulped before slowly heading up the stairs. She made it outside and looked up at the sky. It was pitch black with no moon, and the stars were blocked out by the clouds. She looked back into the subway that she had been taking refuge in for the past three days. _Should I..._ She looked back at the buildings in silence. She then noticed a police car with its lights on. She moved her hands to block out the bright lights before going over to the car. She searched it for anything she could use, but it was cleaned out. It was likely the group of survivors that passed her in the subway. She sighed and climbed out before hearing hurried footsteps. She dove into the back seat of the police car and wedged herself between the seats. _Shit! What do I do? Was I spotted?_ Her panic level began to rise when she heard footsteps right outside the car. She covered her mouth with her hands and trembled. The door suddenly flung open and a shotgun was pumped. Tanya screamed as there was a loud bang and a flash.

She expected pain, but there was none. Only a numb feeling in her head as blood ran down her face. _Is this it? Am I gonna die? Huh. I expected to last a bit longer than that._ She then heard a snarl and a high-pitched screech as her assailant was pounced by something. _What? Who?_ Her vision cleared up more as she could make out a man in a hoodie with duck tape around his major limb muscles. _A Hunter?_ She then saw an opening. I need to get out of here. She clamored out of the back of the police car and ran away, heading into an office building. She stumbled around into a cubicle and collapsed underneath a desk. She then began to cry.


	3. Ch3 - Office

Chapter 3

"Office"

Tanya opened her eyes and looked around. Light shone through the window and blinded her. "Guh!" She hastily moved into the hallway, tripping on and banging into rubble and office supplies. She found a dead Hunter and went rigid. _Not good. I hope there are no survivors in the building._ "Hm? I wonder." She looked at her hand, then at the dead Hunter. She reached a claw over and sheared the hoodie down the center of the front. She then gripped the duck tape between the knuckles of her fingers and tediously unraveled it from the hoodie. It took several minutes to complete this task, but she managed to remove all of the duck tape. She then employed the same tactic of gripping with her knuckles to eventually get the hoodie off of the Hunter and acquire it herself. The next part would be much harder. She closed her fingers together and slowly slipped her arm into one of the sleeves. She managed to get her arm through, but now she had the awkward angle for the next arm. She started putting her other arm through when it got caught and ripped the sleeve at elbow length. She sighed and pushed her arm the rest of the way through. She then grabbed the hanging piece of the sleeve and ripped it off, leaving the hoodie short at one elbow. She gripped the hood between her knuckles and pulled it over her head. It was a large hood, so it pulled over well and blocked out a great deal of the sunlight in the room. She smiled at this, but then bit her lip. _I should get out of here, but there's got to be something more in this building that I can use._ She started searching around the building and managed to find a dead survivor with weapons, ammo, and even some medical supplies, but with her claws, it was impossible to use any of that stuff. She sighed and continued searching. She then heard clattering coming from the room next to her and ducked behind the doorway. _Oh God. I knew it. I knew sticking around here after finding that Hunter was stupid. You idiot, Tanya! You stupid idiot! What am I going to do?_

"Hm? Who's there?" It was a young male voice. A shotgun was also pumped as there were slow footsteps towards the door.

Tanya couldn't move. She was completely paralyzed by fear. _Oh no. I can't move! Move your legs. Run! RUN!_

The boy came around the corner and looked at Tanya. He looked about eighteen and wore a black t-shirt and jeans. This hair was shoulder-length and midnight blue in color. his eyes were green and immediately full of fear.

Tanya stared back at the boy, tears streaming down her face with a look of horror. _What do I do now?_

The boy dropped his shotgun and backed away. "I-It's a... a Witch."

Tanya flinched at the label again. She also felt enraged by it. The boy was completely defenseless after dropping his shotgun, so she growled and approached the boy. "Grrr... It's Tanya!" She kicked the boy in the groin, lifting him a few centimeters into the air.

The boy collapsed to his knees, holding his groin. "Eep!" His voice was extraordinarily higher than it was a few seconds earlier. He then fell to his side, crying in both agony and fear.

Tanya looked at the boy with rage filled eyes. She grabbed him and threw him through the door and into the hallway. She walked towards him, wanting to rip him apart. She then froze in realization. _Wha-What's happening to me? Why am I reacting like this over something as stupid as a label? What else was I expecting him to call me?_ She looked at the boy, who stared at her in pure terror. After what seemed like a long pause, Tanya spoke in a harsh and cold tone of voice. "Go."

The boy looked confused.

Tanya gritted her teeth. "I said beat it!" She kicked the shotgun at the wall next to the boy, causing him to scream.

The boy grabbed his gun and ran off.

Tanya backed up against a wall and slid down it, hugging her knees. She then closed her eyes as tears streamed from them once again.


	4. Ch4 - Streets

Chapter 3

"Streets"

After about two days in the office building, Tanya decided it was time to head into the streets. She pulled her hood over her face and grumbled at the bright sunlight outside. Her clothes were tattered and her shoes were starting to peel at the seams. Her once nice, blue blouse now had tears and frayed ends. Its color was faded and there were blood stains and dirt markings all over it. Her skirt, which reached to her knees and used to be white, was also torn up and had unraveled strings at the bottom. It, like her blouse, was blood stained and dirty, and its color had long since drained out of it.

Tanya looked around. The streets were completely barren of any people who still had their right minds about them. The only "people" around were the infected, which weren't much to count as people anymore. She looked at her ruined clothes and sighed. _I'll have to find something to wear soon. Can't be walking around in my underwear after all._ She walked down the street. _There's got to be a department store somewhere around here._ She continued walking down the street when she heard movement in an alley. She darted behind a car and ducked down. _Crap. Already? Why can't I go a single block without incident?_ She peeked around the car and saw a giant, bloated thing. _Ew! What is that thing?! It looks like it might explode at any second. I'm just gonna ignore that thing and keep moving._ She continued walking, trying not to think about what she just saw.

Tanya then came up on a small clothing store on the east side of the street. She headed inside and found a few infected. The clothes weren't in bad condition, but they weren't in good condition either. The store was a mess. Clothes and racks were spilled out on the floor and shoes weren't paired up with each other and spread all over the store.

Tanya sighed. _Well, better get to work._ She looked at her hands. What do i do about these things. I can't get changed with them like this. She looked around the store and went to the back room, where she found a roll of duck tape. _Hrm... It might work. Then again, I don't know what else I could use. I'm lucky enough to have even found it here. Best to just take it._ She picked up the duck tape and got to work taping her claws so that they were somewhat safer. She headed back into the main store and searched around. She found a dingy gray t-shirt and a pair of faded black pants. She had to search around to find a pair of leather boots that were from the same box. She looked around at the infected. _I know they aren't likely to care, but..._ She looked around for a changing room and sighed. _Seriously? No changing rooms?_ She headed to the back room, where there was only one infected, who was just staring into the corner. _Better than nothing._ She removed her hoodie and simply tore off her blouse and skirt. She then spent the next several minutes getting into her new clothes. The duck tape trick worked. Even when her claws snagged, the duck tape kept it from tearing apart the clothes. After getting her clothes on, she put the hoodie back on and went to a mirror. She saw her face for the first time and immediately had a look of horror on her face. Her eyes were sunken and red, her hair was matted and dirty, and her teeth were sharp and yellow. She stared at herself as tears started welling up in her eyes. _Oh my God. I... I really am a monster. I'm a horrible monster._ She then felt rage as grabbed the mirror and threw it. "Ah!" She ran out of the clothing store and down the street, tears streaming down her face.

Tanya then heard a shotgun go off near her a loud explosion of flesh. She looked ahead and saw the lower half of a bloated body as well as a survivor being attacked by a swarm of infected. She ran behind a car and crouch down. She shut her eyes and covered her ears as the survivor's screams filled the air.

The sun passed over the buildings as Tanya was submerged in shadows. She hugged her knees tightly. _What am I gonna do? I... This city. I have to get out._ Tears ran down her face once again as she began to cry.


	5. Ch5 - Second Encounter

Chapter 5

"Second Encounter"

Tanya ran down the street, holding her bleeding shoulder. _Damn it._ She collapsed as another buckshot grazed her leg. "Guh!" She looked behind her as a shotgun barrel was pressed up to her face. "No... Please..."

The survivor laughed. "So the Witch can talk. Now scream." He pulled the trigger and blew a buckshot into Tanya's face, knocking her down.

Tanya could barely stay conscious. _This is it for me. I'm really gonna die this time._

"One more shot should take care of yo-" The survivor was interrupted as a gunshot sounded and he hit the ground.

A figure ran over as Tanya slowly slipped out of consciousness.

 **Two Hours Later:**

Tanya awoke and looked around. She was in the middle of the street still. The boy from the office was standing there, looking at her. She slowly sat up, holding her head.

"You're not like most Witches, are you?" He said in a serious tone.

"I don't know what most Witches are like."

"In short, they wear nothing but their underwear, they cry, but attack anything that gets near them, and they sure as Hell don't talk."

After a moment of pause, Tanya spoke. "I see."

"That's all you have to say?"

"What else is there to say?"

"I don't know." The boy leaned up against a car. "Tell you what. Let me take you to a Safe Room with me. Me and my group are immune and-"

"No! I..."

"Whoa. Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's not that. How stupid are you? I'm a Witch and will be treated as such by survivors. You're just... stupid."

"I saved your life."

"What if I took yours right after?"

The boy frowned and remained silent.

Tanya sighed. "Look. I appreciate the offer to help me, but it would be very foolish."

"I guess so. Still, you seemed to have retained your old self. It'd be a shame to have you thrown in with the likes of the rest of the infected."

"I'm in the middle of it. I am infected. I just... I don't know."

"Well, if you change your mind, it'd be great to have you. Just look for a big, red, steel door." The boy turned and ran off.

Tanya looked at the ground. _Would it really be okay?_ She got to her feet and watched the boy as he took out a small group of infected. _Being with people, real people, does sound good, but..._ She looked at her claws, the duck tape on which was slowly peeling off. She looked at the boy in the distance again before biting her lip and running after him. It's better than what I've been doing. She caught up to the boy. "I'm coming with you."

"Glad to hear it. My name is Jack."

"Tanya."

"I know. You screamed it when you kicked me in the balls."

"Sorry about that."

"You kick hard by the way."

"I said I was sorry. Let's just go."

Jack nodded. "Follow me, okay?" He ran into an alley and shot an infected in the head.

Tanya followed after Jack. They headed through the back alleys to a big, red, steel door. However, a slippery, wet, tentacle wrapped around Jack and dragged him into the air.

"Agh! Help!"

"Jack!" Tanya followed the appendage to the mouth of a grotesque and gag-worthy infects with smoke-releasing pestuals all over its body. "What is that thing?!"

A rifle shot hit the infected and broke its tongue, dropping Jack to the ground. A female survivor ran over to Jack and uncoiled the stick writhing tongue from his body. Two other survivors, a middle aged male and a little girl ran over. The man aimed an assault rifle at Tanya and was about to fire.

Tanya took a few steps back with a fearful look on her face.

Jack quickly shouted at him. "Wait! She's not like the rest!"

The man looked at Jack. "What's your point?!"

"My point is that we don't shoot survivors unless they shoot first."

The man looked at Tanya, but didn't back down.

The little girl tugged at his coat. "Please, listen to Jack."

There was a moment of tension where Tanya was about ready to run, but the man sighed and lowered his rifle first. Tanya let out a relieve sigh and slumped up against the alley wall. _What a relief. I wasn't shot this time._

Jack got up. "Let's get into the Safe Room. I'll explain there."

The group headed into the Safe Room and secured the door. They then gathered in the rest area. The woman tended to Jack's wounds.

The man spoke first. "Alright. Mind explaining why there's a Witch with you?"

Jack nodded. "I met her in an office building. Her name is Tanya."

The woman forrowed her brow. "Didn't she almost kill you?"

Jack cleared his throat. "Anyways, I kinda, sorta, offered her to come with us."

The man pinched the bridge of his nose. "You did what?"

The little girl looked at Tanya.

Tanya tried to manage a friendly smile, but then remembered her teeth and quickly looked away, frowning.

The little girl smiled. "I'm Tiffany. The one tending to Jack is Susana, and the big headed man is Markus."

Markus seemed to take offense. "Hey now."

Jack and Susana laughed.

Tanya couldn't help but smile. _This could work. It's already much better than it was._

Markus sighed. "Absolutely not."

Jack frowned. "Why not?"

"Simple. I don't trust her not to fall to the nature of a Witch and kill us all."

"Bullshit! She won't do that!"

Tanya spoke up. "It's alright, Jack. He's right. I'm a Witch, and I have fallen into episodes of heavy crying. I also won't deny having killed survivors that got too close during those episodes."

Markus nodded. "You hear that? She's even smarter than you, Jack."

Jack gritted his teeth. "You can't believe that crap, can you, Tanya?"

Tiffany spoke up. "Arguing about what a she herself says she did is stupid."

Jack backed off at Tiffany's words.

Tanya got up. "Look, if I see that you need help, I'll help you, but I don't think it would be a good idea for us to travel together."

Jack sighed.

Tanya smiled. "Thanks for trying though." She headed to the door as the group readied their guns for the few that would undoubtedly get in. She pulled open the door as Jack shot the first infected. She then slipped out, letting the group handle the infected and secure the door. She headed back out into the street and sighed. _So much for that. I suppose it's for the best._ She walked down the street. _I'll get out of here... eventually._


	6. Ch6 - Dreams

Chapter 6

"Dreams"

Tanya was sitting at her homeroom desk in high school. It was her senior year and she had tried out for the chess team that year. She was resting her head in her hands as she started counting backwards to herself. No one seemed to take notice or even care about the strange outburst. Even she herself thought nothing of it. "Fifteen... Fourteen... Thirteen... Twelve... Eleven... Ten... Nine... Eight... Seven... Six... Five... Four... Three... Two... One..." The bell rang and the class left for their first period classes. Tanya stood and walked to the door, which was closed for some reason, despite the traffic that had just occurred. She opened the door and found herself in a classroom, in front of the teacher's desk. The students were all looking at her. She looked at the students. "Pull out your text books and turn to page thirty-four." The students complied and she looked down at her own text book. She looked up from a student desk and raised her hand. "Ms. Susana, there is no page thirty-four." She held up her book showing a blank page on the left and page thirty-five on the right.

Susana looked at the students. "Anyone else have this issue?" There was no reply. "Okay then. You may share with Jack."

Tanya moved next to Jack and looked at the page. "Ms. Susana, Jack's is missing page thirty-four as well."

Markus looked up from the teacher's desk. "Tanya, please go to the main office."

Tanya got up and went to the door. She looked back at the empty classroom. She turned back to the door and opened it, appearing in the streets of the city. She was walking around as infected went about acting like normal people. Cars were wrecked all over the place and buildings were walling apart, but the "people" didn't seem to take notice. A Smoker walked passed Tanya while taking a drag from his cigarette. Tanya headed into the clothing shop and saw clothes strewn about the shop in a mess. A Boomer was behind the counter, stuffing his face with McDonald's food from across the street. Tanya got undressed in the middle of the shop and got changed into a torn up blouse and skirt. She headed outside and went into an office building a few blocks down the street. A Hunter was doing work in one of the cubicles. Tanya grabbed his head and started smashing his face into the monitor until it was a bloody mess. She then took the Hunter's hoodie and put it on. She walked out of the office building and headed into a subway station, where she was a little girl being given a piggyback ride by a Witch was looked exactly like Tanya. The human Tanya got on the train as it took off. She looked at her phone, and when she looked up, she was in a house. She was a Witch now as she looked at an elderly man reading a newspaper, his silver-rimmed spectacles shimmering from the light on the ceiling. She headed into the kitchen to she her human self cooking up something in the frying pan. However, for some reason, Tanya wasn't able to see what she was cooking.

Tanya shook the pan as fire shot up a bit from whatever was being cooked. She then dished it onto a plate and turned around. She headed into the dining room, where an elderly woman was reading a newspaper, her silver-rimmed spectacles shimmering from the lamp on the table. Tanya placed the dish in from of the woman as the contents became clear. There was a mound of large wasps crawling around on the plate. The woman picked up a wasp and put it in her mouth as there were frantic buzzing sounds. There was then a crunching sound as the woman chewed. Tanya headed to a door and opened it as she walked into a train car full of infected. By the time Tanya got to one of the train exit doors, the train stopped. The doors opened and everyone filed into a dark, open area. There was a Witch that looked like Tanya crying in the middle of a spotlight as people gathered around her.

Tanya looked up and started to growl at the people. They just stood there and stared at her. She rose to her feet, her growls becoming louder. The people again showed no reaction. Tanya screamed and started ripping the people apart, including her human self. She then ran off, wailing. The spotlight followed Tanya as she ran. The floor under her next step then crumbled and she fell into darkness.

Tanya screamed and sat up. She breathed heavily as she looked around. _A dream?_ She got to her feet. _No. Insanity. That's what that was._ She then realized that the floor was wet and looked down. She was a foot deep in blood, gore, and bodies. _What the Hell?! I didn't kill anybody! No. I'm still-_ A hand grabbed Tanya's leg and pulled her down into the bodies. She watched as the surface became further and further away. _No..._

Tanya opened her eyes and looked around. She was in the convenient store that she had went to sleep in. _Is it... over?_ She got up and headed outside. Infected were roaming around, mindless, cars were wrecked all over the place, and buildings were ever so slowly falling apart. Tanya sighed. _What a horrible nightmare. I hope that that doesn't happen again. It probably will though._ Tanya walked down the street. _I wonder if Jack and the others are having such nightmares. Probably not. I'll find a way out of this city eventually. I just need to have hope._ She looked up at the sky. _Hope..._


	7. Ch7 - Massacre

Chapter 7

"Massacre"

Tanya walked down the street, her hood pulled over her head. _Ugh. This sunlight is killing me. Why do I have to have a sensitivity to it? It's not fair._ She sighed. _Then again, nothing has been fair since the beginning of this infection._

 **Flashback:**

Tanya screamed as Jason pushed her off the train, into the swarm of infected below. She then watched as Jason made his escape, leaving her to die by the hands of savage monsters tearing at her body.

 **Present Time:**

 _He used me. He just pushed me into them as a distraction so that he could escape. If I see him again, he will die._ She flexed her claws as she walked a little faster. She then heard movement nearby and jumped behind a car. _Just what I need while I'm pissed off._ She then heard Jack's voice, as well as Tiffany's.

Jack laughed. "Don't worry Tiffany. I'm sure we'll make it out of the city."

Tiffany spoke in a dark tone. "Your confidence will eventually kill you."

"That's a happy thought." Jack said sarcastically.

Markus' voice came in. "Alright. We should be close to a rest point."

Susana spoke with relief. "Good. I need to rest."

Tanya sighed. _It's just them. I suppose I don't need to worry about hiding._ She got to her feet and continued walking. She was almost immediately called out by Jack.

"Is that you Tanya?!"

Tiffany sighed and kicked him in the shin. "Stop yelling. You'll attract a-"

There were howls from all around.

"...swarm."

Jack scratched the back of his head. "Sorry."

A swarm of infected charged at the group.

Tanya ran over to help, using her claws to cut down infected.

Tiffany ran off and hid somewhere. A few infected chased after her, but Tanya cut them down.

Jack started reloading his shotgun. "Cover me!"

Susana protected Jack, using an assault rifle.

Tanya covered Susana's flank.

Eventually, all of the infected were dead and Tanya ran to find Tiffany. She could smell her nearby. She ran into an alley and sniffed. She then walked to a dumpster and opened the lid.

Tiffany looked up at her. "Hi, Tanya."

Tanya smiled. "Hello, Tiffany." She reached in to help pull Tiffany out, but stopped. She looked at her claws.

Tiffany climbed out on her own and hugged Tanya's waist. "Don't worry about it."

"Right." Tanya headed back with Tiffany, only to find another group of survivors with their guns on Jack, Susana, and Markus.

Jason was aiming an assault rifle at Jack. "Well, what do we have here? A little group of suppliers. Drop all of your equipment and walk away, and maybe we won't shoot you in the backs.

Tiffany gripped Tanya's pant leg.

Jack looked at his group. "Tch. Right. I think we'd rather go down shooting. We'll take a few of you with us."

Tanya looked around for anything that she could do to help, but there was nothing neither she, nor Tiffany could do.

Jason smirked. "You know, you could have walked away from this alive."

Jack smiled. "No, we wouldn't have. You would have shot us in the backs as we were walking away."

"Yeah. You're probably right." Jason placed his finger on the trigger.

Jack threw his gun at something before being riddled with bullets.

Susana screamed. "Jack!"

The gun gun hit a parked car, setting off an alarm.

In the confusion, Markus quickly drew his pistol and shot the survivor aiming at him. "Pay attention to who you're supposed to shoot.

Another survivor shot at Markus, but hit his leg, putting him down to one knee.

Susana shot the survivor, but took a bullet to the chest by a third survivor.

Jason approached Markus and shot him in the head.

Susana coughed up blood.

Jason walked over to her and pointed his gun at her, but a Smoker suddenly grabbed him with its tongue. He was pulled off his feet and dragged across the ground.

Susana drew her pistol and shot the third survivor in the stomach.

A fourth survivor unloaded her assault rifle into Susana.

Infected poured into the area and attacked Jason's group.

Tanya sat in shock at what just happened.

Tiffany buried her face against Tanya.

A survivor shot the Smoker, freeing Jason.

Jason took off, leaving his group behind.

Tanya turned to Tiffany. "Hide."

Tiffany nodded and ran back and climbed inside the dumpster.

Tanya ran after Jason.

Jason ran into an alley.

 _Damn him!_ Tanya ran towards the alley.

Jason ran into a dead end and turned around, only to see Tanya. "Shit."

"Hello, Jason. Remember me?"

"What the?! You just talked!"

"I did, but I'm going to do a lot more than talk, Jason."

"Stop it! How do you know my name?!"

"You don't remember? The subway."

"What? Wait! You?!"

"That's right. I didn't forget, but I guess you did. Must be hard to remember every single person you've wronged."

"Tch. You have no idea." Jason pulled out his pistol and shot Tanya.

Tanya lunged forwards and smacked the gun away, slashing up Jason's arm.

"Agh! Fuck!"

Tanya grabbed Jason and threw him into a trash barrel, denting it.

"Gah! Damn it!"

Tanya grabbed Jason and pulled him up before slamming him into a wall by his throat.

Jason made choking noises and frantically kicked at Tanya.

Tanya jammed her fingers into Jason's midsection and sliced him open, spilling his intestines onto the ground and splashing blood onto her pants and shirt

Tears ran down Jason's face as her seized.

Tanya dug her claws into Jason's neck and grasped his esophagus. She then ripped it out, spilling blood onto her face.

Jason went limp with the occasional twitch.

 _It's done! It's finally over!_ Tanya screamed and threw Jason's body into the opposite wall with a sickening crunch. She then ran out of the alley and down the street, back towards the ongoing massacre. The survivors were slowly being overwhelmed. Tanya jumped in and slashed a survivor across the back, severing his spine. A Hunter pounced on a survivor and started ripping her insides open. A Smoker had another survivor pinned to a car as infected tore at his flesh. Tanya pinned a survivor and slashed him into a mangled mess. After a while, all of the survivors were dead. Tanya panted heavily. She then ran into the alley and opened the dumpster lid.

Tiffany was curled up in a corner, weeping quietly.

Tears welled up in Tanya's eyes as she climbed into the dumpster and curled up next to Tiffany with her back to her. _Why did this have to happen? It's... It's not... fair. Nothing has been fair! But now I see. I'm not the only one. I never was._ She began to cry once again with Tiffany.


	8. Ch8 - Tiffany

Chapter 8

"Tiffany"

Tanya and Tiffany walked down the street in silence.

Tanya saw a road sign up ahead. "City limit's in five miles."

Tiffany nodded.

Tanya sighed. "I guess you won't have to be near me much longer."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a Witch, remember?"

"Yeah? I'm just a kid, remember?"

"Point taken. I just... I thought you'd be happier to see the end of the city."

Tiffany looked down. "Did you kill him?"

"What?"

"Did you killed the bad one?"

Tanya stopped walking. "I... I avenged our friends."

Tiffany stopped and looked at Tanya. "Good."

"Good?" Tanya was shocked to here such words from a child.

"That's what I said. This world has no room for soft people. After all, to save a life, another must be taken. At least, that's how it is now."

"Life's a bitch."

"It is, and if it's easy, you're not doing it right. My father told me that before this whole thing started."

"Harsh, yet wise. Just what kind of person was your father?" Tanya continued walking.

Tiffany followed. "Russian soldier from the second World War. He was captured and tortured, but he never let his pride faulter. He also went awall and went on a personal vendetta against a select few that had left him to die. He never forgot, and never forgave. He hunted each and every one of them down and killed them. Well, more like executed them."

"What happened to him after the infection?"

"He was a heavy smoker."

"Oh."

"After her changed, I killed him."

"What?! You?!"

Tiffany stopped and looked at Tanya. "I'm not as useless as you might think, but he gave me the gun and told me that he would rather die a soldier than a coward. He also wanted me to do it in order to prepare me for it."

"I see. I'm sorry."

Tiffany continued walking. "Don't worry about it. What about you? What was your life like before the infection?"

"Me?"

"You're the only one here."

"Right. I was... ordinary. No, worse than ordinary. I was invisible to normal people. Just another face."

"Pitiful."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Like my father said, if life's easy, you're doing it wrong."

"Your father was a soldier. I don't think his idea of easy applies to a normal citizen."

"True, but your life was easy, wasn't it?" Tiffany gave Tanya a piercing look that sent shivers down Tanya's spine.

"Y-Yeah. I guess, but it's not like it wasn't without annoyances. School was certainly a bitch."

"School is nothing."

"What about you? You couldn't have had it that much harder."

Tiffany stopped walking and looked down.

"Hm?" Tanya stopped walking as well. "Tiffany?" She then realized what she had said. _Oh no! Did I say something insensitive?!_

Tiffany looked up at Tanya. "I wouldn't expect you to understand, but you could at least try not to make assumptions about people."

Tanya looked down. "I'm Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Let's take a rest." Tiffany headed into a back alley and sat down.

Tanya followed and sat next to Tiffany. "Well, tomorrow will be a new day for us, won't it?"

"I don't know. We'll see what happens when we make it out of the city. We still have a lot more to do."

Tanya nodded. "Of course."

"For now though, let's just rest."

Tanya nodded and laid down.

Tiffany laid down and huddled up against Tanya.

Tanya looked at the sky and sighed. _Almost out of this city. What will we do once we're out though? I guess it doesn't matter for now. Best to get some rest._ She closed her eyes and fell asleep.


	9. Ch9 - City Limits

Chapter 9

"City Limits"

Tanya and Tiffany arrived at the city limits to see a wall of infected pushing up against a steel-linked fence surrounding the city.

Tiffany gripped Tanya's hand. "This is big. How do we get through?"

"I don't know. I can normally keep you safe from the few infected, but with this many, I-"

A tongue wrapped around Tiffany and ripped her away from Tanya, dragging her towards the infected.

"Tiffany!" Tanya ran after her and slashed the tongue. She then picked her up and ran back into the city. She sat down in an alley and hugged the little girl closely, rocking a little.

Tiffany regained consciousness and hugged Tanya. "I'm scared. I don't want to be stuck in this city forever."

Tanya stroked Tiffany's head. "It's okay. I promise, we'll find a way out of here."

Tiffany nodded.

Tanya smiled. "Hey. How about we get some new clothes? Will that cheer you up?"

Tiffany looked up at Tanya and nodded.

They headed to a clothing store and snuck inside.

Tanya killed the infected inside and started looking through clothes.

Tiffany watched Tanya.

Tanya picked out a light blue, knee-length dress for Tiffany and showed it to her. "Well?"

"It's not very tactical."

Tanya sighed. "It's not supposed to be."

"What's the point of this again?"

 _She really is clueless with these types of things. Then again, I can't blame her. After everything she was put through and this infection. It's no wonder she has no real childhood. Her father taught her to be tough. He taught her how cruel the world could be and prepared her like a soldier. If only she could feel what it's like to be a girl for once._ "Just trust me on this, okay? Here. Change into it." Tanya gave Tiffany the dress.

"What if we're attacked?"

Tanya's eye twitched. "Then I'll protect you."

Tiffany paused, looking at the dress. She then sighed and got undressed.

Tanya smiled in relief.

Tiffany put on the dress.

Tanya pulled over a mirror and showed Tiffany how she looked.

Tiffany stared at herself in the mirror. She still wore her combat boots. Her shoulder-length dirty-blonde hair was left unkempt and her blue eyes shown with a peculiar interest in the image before her. She took particular note in her height of just over four feet and the fact that her chest still hadn't grown at all. "I... look like a... child still."

"Hm? How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"What?! Fifteen?! You look way younger!"

"Could you keep it down?"

"Sorry. The infected don't seem to take note of my talking, so I guess that's fortunate."

"Whatever."

"Still, you look cute." Tanya smiled.

Tiffany stared at Tanya in annoyance.

"What now?"

"Nothing." Tiffany looked back into the mirror. She then took off the dress and changed back into her earlier clothes.

 _Geez. You're hopeless._ "So, what now?"

"I don't know. I still want to get out of here, but..."

"I know. I'm sure there's a way out." Tanya then heard movement outside. "Get down." She pulled Tiffany behind the counter and looked over. There was a large group of survivors heading towards the city limits. "Hm... Maybe we should follow them and sneak through the fence while the infected are distracted."

"Maybe. Yeah. Let's do it."

Tanya and Tiffany followed behind the group of survivors to the city limits and watched them as they engaged the infected. They then heard a roar as the ground started to shake.

One of the survivors shouted. "Tank!"

A massive, hulking infected charged at the survivors from the other side of the fence, tearing it down.

Tanya picked up Tiffany and held her tightly as she ran for the opening.

Another survivor shouted. "Witch!"

Tanya grimaced. _Damn it!_

A survivor shot Tanya in the back with an assault rifle.

"Ngh!" Tanya threw Tiffany through the opening in the fence. "Run!" She turned around and lunged at the survivor and slashed him across the midsection.

Tiffany ran between infected, but got grabbed by a Smoker's tongue and ripped off her feet, causing her to scream.

Tanya turned around. "Tiffany!"

A survivor saw the Smoker and shot at it, breaking its tongue.

Tanya ran and caught Tiffany, hugging her. She then slashed an infected that tried to grab Tiffany.

A survivor noticed the two. "What the Hell?!"

Another survivor butt a Hunter with his gun and loaded it with pistol rounds. "Looks like that Witch still has some human left in her!"

"Yeah?! For how long?!" The other survivor shotgunned an infected.

Tanya tried to keep the infected away from Tiffany, but was getting overwhelmed.

A large, muscular man came in with a large hammer and smashed a Hunter that was in the middle of a pounce towards Tiffany.

Tanya looked at the man. "Thanks."

"Hmph. So you can talk and think." His voice was gruff and deep. He swung his hammer at an infected, sending it flying.

The Tank roared and charged at the man.

"Watched out! Tanya got between and slammed back into the Tank with her right shoulder, only partially slowly it, but it was enough for the man to react and smash the Tank's head in with the hammer. Tanya collapsed, holding her shoulder and panting heavily.

"Thanks. How long until you fully become one?"

"How the Hell should I know? I've been a Witch for weeks."

The man smashed an infected. "Really? That's new."

Tanya stood up and slashed an infected with her left hand.

A few more survivors gathered near them and assisted.

A female survivor shouted at the large man. "You okay, Michael?!"

"Yeah! The Witch saved my ass from that Tank, and she slowed it down enough for me to smash its skull!"

"Seriously!" The woman shot an infected with a shotgun.

Tanya slashed another infected. "The name's Tanya, damn it!"

Michael picked up an infected and threw it into a group of infected. "My apologies ma'am."

Tanya looked at the opening in the fence. "We need to get through!"

"Working on it!" The woman shot an infected in the head with a pistol. "We need an opening!"

"I'll give you that opening!" Tanya let out a battle scream and charged towards the opening, slashing as many of the infected as possible in between.

"Move! Move!" The woman shouted as the group ran after Tanya.

Michael picked up Tiffany and ran with them.

The entire group ran on pure adrenaline until they were clear of the infected.

Tanya dropped to her knees, holding her shoulder. "Guh."

Tiffany jumped off of Michael and ran to Tanya. She gripped her shoulder. "Your shoulder is dislocated. I can replace it."

"Do it. Agh!"

"On three. One..." Tiffany pressed hard as there was a crunch.

Tanya screamed and fell forwards onto her face. "What happened to two?"

Michael walked over. "So, you've been a Witch for weeks you said?"

Tanya got up and looked at Michael. "Yes. I was caught in the first hour of the chaos."

The woman was patching up a wounded arm. "That's something strange. Usually you lose your mind right before you turn."

"How do you know that?"

"Because, I've seen it."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." The woman looked at Tiffany. "If she your daughter?"

Tanya looked away. "No. She was part of another group that I knew well. After an attack from a swarm, I went to get Tiffany, who had hid. On the way back, the rest of the group was killed by other survivors. Me and her have been together ever since."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I already killed the ones responsible."

"I see. Well, you helped us a lot back there. Thank you."

"Don't. I... We were going to use you as a distraction to get through, but I was shot by one of your allies, whom I promptly killed. I'm sorry."

"Well, at least your honest. Still, with lack of control like that, you sure it's best for the girl to be with you?"

"I haven't layed a claw on her to harm in the week that we've spent together. Still, you might be right. Are you offering to take her in?"

"Maybe, but large groups are dangerously attractive, and we can't guarantee her safety in case of an attack from a large swarm."

"Neither could I if something attracted them to her, like that thing you call a Boomer."

"Hm... Then perhaps we might have room for you."

"No." Tanya answered quickly. "You may trust the men in your group, but when was the last time they... you know." Tanya held Tiffany's hand tighter as she looked around at the men.

"Perhaps you're right, but there's women in this group as well as men. We haven't had any problems as of yet."

"Probably because any one of the women here would be strong enough to fight back."

The woman sighed. "Alright. Still, what happens if you hurt her one day."

"Then I come find you and make you kill me." Tanya looked the woman in the eyes.

The woman nodded. "Alright."

Tanya ran off with Tiffany.

Tiffany looked at Tanya. "Thank you for not abandoning me to them."

Tanya nodded. "Large groups are always bad news."

Tiffany nodded. "What now?"

"Well, we should settle down somewhere quiet."

"The country?"

"If you want."

"I do."

"Then that's our next goal. To the country!"

The duo ran down the highway towards their next destination.


	10. Ch10 - Virus

Chapter 10

"Virus"

Tanya went into the bedroom that Tiffany was in and sat on the edge of the bed. she stroked Tiffany's pale cheek. S _he's cold. If things keep going like this, she'll..._ She took a hot towel and placed it over the upper half of Tiffany's torso. _Please, don't leave me. I don't want to be alone again._ She got up and left the room. _I can already feel it. The urge to cry and go into one of my Witch moments. If Tiffany dies, I... I'll lose it._ She walked down the stairs to the living room. She looked out the window to the fields surrounding the building. _We escaped the city, cleared out this farm, set up here for a few months, and for what? Tiffany to die of sickness?_ She went over and sat on the couch, holding her head in her hands. She stayed like that for an hour before looking up, tears streaming down her face. _I wish I never survived in that subway._ She got up and headed to Tiffany again. She climbed into the bed and hugged the little girl closely and quietly cried.

Tiffany slowly opened her eyes and spoke in a raspy voice. "Tanya?"

Tanya flinched and looked at Tiffany's face.

Tiffany's eyes looked dull and tired. "Will you be staying with me today?"

Tanya nodded.

"Good. I don't know why, but I feel like if you left my sight, I'd never see you again."

Tanya buried her face into Tiffany's shoulder.

Tiffany patted Tanya's back weakly before going limp.

Tanya cried more audibly as she held Tiffany. She cried for hours before getting out of the bed and sitting on the floor, crying. _I can't..._ Her mind went blank as her Witch nature finally took over.

A few survivors came into the farm and sneaked around. One of the survivors heard a Witch crying and whispered. "Lights off." The survivors shut off their lights and headed up the stairs and opened the door to Tiffany's room. They see a Witch sitting on the floor next to the bed, crying.

One of the survivors with a shotgun silently moved towards the Witch and aimed at the back of her head. He then noticed Tiffany's body and sighed. He started to pull the trigger.

The Witch hit the barrel of the shotgun away as it went off and slashed the survivor's stomach open.

The survivor screamed as the rest started shooting at the Witch.

The Witch shrieked and attacked them.

Gunshots and screams filled the inside of the farm house.


End file.
